New chapter, people! Now the story is finishing up, and this chapter might raise your spirits even higher in hopes of a happy ending. Wait for the end, a somewhat cliffie. Sorry for the abnormally short chappie, but I also wrote a oneshot, Exiled, today.

The tears came, again and again. If you looked at my life, you'd be able to fill an ocean with my tears. I kept losing people I loved. Again and again. It would never cease. This time was no different.

The gods kept arguing about who was and wasn't a midget, while I left, crying silently. I hid my face in a hood and stared at the ground. I was walking aimlessly when I ran right into…Mr. D.

"Watch it, Annie Bell," he said. Always getting my name wrong. I was too sad to complain. I trudged off miserably.

I could keep in stride until I died of starvation or thirst, and I wouldn't notice. I would just keep going. So depressing.

I ran into Thalia. She told me to snap out of it. I just walked away, tears still falling. I wonder if the spirits in the Fields of Punishment felt like this. Eternal pain.

Thalia followed me, trying to offer words of comfort. I didn't listen. Life was seeming to become a blur of sadness…

I snapped out of it when Thalia shocked me with her finger. "What was that for?" I snapped. Thalia just looked at me sadly.

"We are going to go back to camp," she said. "Mr. D's century is up. We get a new director."

That made me feel better, a lot better. Probably made Mr. D feel better, too.

"Who's the new director?" I asked anxiously. I hoped it was someone good, unlike that jerk Tantalus who filled in for Chiron.

"No one," she answered. "Chiron is taking up the post, as well as being activities director. That's how it was before Mr. D came, Chiron told me."

That cheered me up significantly. It was better to have Chiron for both of those posts than to have Dionysus for one of them.

"All right, come on," Thalia gestured. "Iris has set up a portal for us."

I assumed it was just like an Iris-message, only larger. I was right. The swirling rainbow of colors temporarily blinded me as I approached. It was suspended flat over the sky, with a little diving board over it. Apparently, Iris wanted us to have a little fun.

Thalia didn't look happy. I mean, come on. She was the daughter of Zeus! Why in Tartarus was she afraid of heights?

Thalia jumped first. She screamed and fell into the portal. Me? I wasn't that fussed, really. I just jumped in silently.

I felt like the world was churning color-wise around me. Vivid colors surrounded me for a second, and I found myself on Half-Blood Hill, along with a couple of harried looking campers. I immediately went to my cabin, which was empty. My siblings must not have gotten here yet.

I sat down and the thought of Percy came to my mind. It would probably haunt me for the rest of my life. I left the cabin and all its bittersweet memories. Why? Dinner.

The dinner was all right, I guess. We were having some barbecue with strawberries. Not a good combination. Now that Dionysus was gone, his kids were to tend the strawberry fields. They enjoyed it.

I picked up my glass, about to tell it what I wanted, when a stray thought sailed through my mind. I didn't even realize I said it out loud.

"Blue Coke."

My eyes filled with tears when I saw it. I hid my face and took a sip. It tasted just like normal Coke. Not that that made me feel any better.

I walked back to my cabin unaccompanied. I cried myself silently to sleep. My dream was kind of bittersweet. I died, but I got to see Percy again…

I woke up and stayed awake for a while, brooding. I tried to think about architecture, but I couldn't focus it in my mind. I half-subconsciously strode over, past the camp borders, to the beach. It always calmed Percy down. Maybe I could get some peace.

I sat on the smooth sand, thinking. What do I do? What do I do? It wouldn't get out of my mind. What would Percy say? He would tell me to pull it together.

A figure rose up from the salty sea spray. I flinched. A Nereid.

Do not despair, Annabeth. She said in my mind. Death is eternity. You will see him again. Meanwhile, he sends his regards. She dematerialized.

Apparently, he has no regards, I thought bitterly. Something else happened that change my mind. Something touched my cheek. I stiffened, looking for something solid. But then I realized, it was an invisible hand, caressing my cheek. I smiled slightly and immediately fell asleep.

Something interrupted me from my peaceful slumber. Something that made me feel like I should jump around like an overcaffeinated monkey. On steroids. One sound, one sound that made all the difference.

"Moooooooo!"

Hello, readers! Well, there you are. The Ophiotaurus has risen again. It is the Ophiotaurus, by the way. Not a stray cow. So there. I want some reviews, people, before I even start the next chapter.